


Prince of Hearts

by jjongshoe



Category: Jongyu - Fandom, K-pop, SHINee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Jonghyun - Freeform, M/M, OnJong, Onew - Freeform, SHINee - Freeform, boylove, princexprince
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 20:15:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20730125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjongshoe/pseuds/jjongshoe
Summary: Jonghyun is a prince who needs funds to manage his run down estate. Jinki is the rich prince of a nearby county who is looking for suitors. However, Jinki has a dark secret of how he has managed to keep his wealth during the time of war.





	Prince of Hearts

"Your Highness, we've received this proclamation that a prince from the nearby land is looking for suitors"

"You know well that we are in no position to compete for that”

Jonghyun felt a headache coming along, the more he thought about how he was going to save his lands. The estate that had once flourished, had now changed entirely. The last war they had faced had diminished most of their assets and when his older brother was killed in action, Jonghyun instantly got the title of a prince. A title that he had never wanted, but which was now thrust upon him. He had a duty towards his subjects, who were working extra hard in their fields to ensure the harvest was tripled. Jonghyun was lucky to have subjects who loved him. In fact, it was his courtiers who taught him how to rule. His brother, the king had sent him to learn how to fight, ever since he was young. Jonghyun had been apprenticed to a knight who taught him everything he knew.

One of the ways by which Jonghyun was able to earn more funds was by taking part in the various jousting tournaments held. Although Jonghyun really didn’t like doing it, he would even participate as other rulers’ champion which was a way for him to help his people.

Although he initially threw away the proclamation that was sent to him, Jonghyun found himself secretly opening it again, when there was no one around to see. Prince Jinki was hosting a tournament where there was jousting, wrestling and sword fighting where he would consider the winner to be his suitor. The tournament would be held three months later, which gave everyone plenty of time to practice. Personally, he was good at all of these, thanks to his years of intensive training. He remembered Prince Jinki, having seen him once from afar, many years ago. Prince Jinki had a kind, open face with the most gorgeous, sunny smile Jonghyun had ever seen. It would be good if he was able to attend the tournament. 

Jonghyun donned his heavy armour and mounted his horse, lance in hand. He had a special place where he spent his time practising and riding his horse. A black stallion, Romeo had been with Jonghyun since he was a colt and together, the duo was unstoppable. On good days, the commander in chief of his small army of warriors would help him train, and Jonghyun had quickly earned a name for himself as being a formidable foe in battle. As he stroked the long mane of his loyal Romeo, Jonghyun's mind kept wandering back to thoughts of Prince Jinki. After he finished his riding practice for the day, Jonghyun rode back to his estate and called for his page. Little Taemin had been apprenticed to him since he was a mere lad of eight years, and now he had blossomed into a strapping youth of thirteen years. It was almost time for Jonghyun to start Taemin's training into knighthood, but the lad wasn't ready for that level of intense training yet. He would have to take the lad with him to this tournament and train him during all the months he had left. Although Jonghyun himself was only twenty-five years old, he had grown wise for his years since he had to assume responsibility much earlier than expected, due to his brother's demise.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Jonghyun lowered himself into the hot bath that the boy had drawn for him. The hot water soothed his tired and aching muscles while the boy gently massaged his shoulders. He had to admit, the boy was highly skilled with his hands. There had always been something about the boy that bothered him. This boy always seemed to have stars in his eyes when he looked at him. The child had always treated him as though he was some sort of God. Abruptly breaking out of his reverie, Jonghyun sent a hurt looking Taemin away, before he completed his duties of assisting with his shaving and dressing. Jonghyun still hadn't gotten used to his princely perks which involved having a page who assisted him, almost as though he was in need of a handmaiden. Of course, his brother was used to the lap of luxury and had dozens of handmaidens and chambermaids around him. Jonghyun knew it was not good to speak ill of the dead, but his brother had grown into an unchivalrous lout and a womanizer, who had fathered a child with one of the handmaidens. Though Jonghyun was a mere lad of twelve years, he had managed to convince his parents not to send the disgraced handmaiden away until she had delivered her baby. When the baby boy was delivered, Jonghyun had arranged for the mother and child to be transported safely out of the palace with enough coin to manage their life. Once the handmaiden passed on, Jonghyun ensured that the child was sent to him, as a page. Though the child was the bastard son of his brother, Jonghyun loved and cared for him as though he was his own. Under his strict orders, no one was to tell the boy the truth. Anyone who did would be banished. Now that he was the only surviving member of the royal family, he could take his rightful place as the King and name Taemin as Prince and heir to the throne. He'd never done this, as the boy would be prone to attacks from everyone around them. He couldn't place the boy in danger like that and had instructed everyone at the castle to treat him as a mere page. Though his vassals kept urging him to assume his true title, Jonghyun felt ashamed. How could a King without riches claim a crown as his own?

Until he was able to restore his estate to its former glory, Jonghyun would remain a Prince. Instead of raising the taxes, he had given a portion of the castle grounds to his vassals, where they continued to live and tend to the animals. Jonghyun was known as the prince with the kind heart and was loved by all that bowed down to him. Now that he couldn't afford what he used to, Jonghyun made the decision that he would win the upcoming tournament where the winner would get as much gold as they could carry, as well as a chance to be Prince Jinki's suitor.

**********************************************************************************  
Prince Jinki revelled in the fact that his estate was the largest in the kingdom, and he would easily spare the coin that was required for its upkeep. Although he didn't want to get married this early, he trusted the judgement of his wise advisors who had insisted that the tournament had to be held. For some reason, they had said that it was highly important to know who was the most powerful among all the princes around them. Jinki was aware of the fact that almost all the kingdoms that surrounded his own, were under the impression that he was vague, weak and stupid. This had just made it much easier for him to do what he had planned. No one could tell what was going on behind his seemingly shy exterior, and that was exactly how Jinki liked it. As the only son, Jinki had grown up to become a spoilt brat with a prickly side. Whatever he wanted, he got. With no exceptions. Jinki's mother had died at childbirth, leaving him, the only heir to the throne. He'd had a wet nurse who adored him, and became the mother Jinki had never had. It was her who had taken him out of his castle to see the real world around him. The world he had never known even existed. For the first time, he had seen poverty. The people he was supposed to take care of were toiling harder than ever, just so that their little pampered, privileged prince could get anything and everything that struck his fancy. That was the minute Jinki decided to do whatever it takes to ensure that his subjects would never go to bed hungry again, even if it meant him having to live a completely different type of life.

When he turned seventeen, Jinki created his new, secret life and over the last six years, he had got really good at hiding it from those he knew. This was the reason he had agreed to host the tournament. He needed a partner for his secret double life. Truth be told, it was becoming rather cumbersome and Jinki felt as though he was getting too old for this kind of deceit. However, what the others didn't know surely wouldn't hurt him and that very thought spurred him onto continuing. Rubbing his hair with soot to change the colour, Jinki changed into a pair of black braccae with a midnight blue coloured tunic. Forgoing his black cloak this time, Jinki focused instead on covering his face with a piece of loose cloth which ensured that only his deep brown eyes were visible. After carefully streaking his cheeks with soot in the hope that he wouldn't be recognized unintentionally, Jinki set off on his thoroughbred to the stables at the edge of his estate. Once he reached the stable and tied up his thoroughbred, Jinki whistled to his trustworthy Arabian horse, which came to his side instantly. Nodding to the stable boy, Jinki lovingly stroked the Arabian's nose before unfolding an old, wrinkled map from his pocket. Marking a big X on his next targeted location, Jinki rode his swift horse as he collected the rest of his team on the way. His so-called team consisted of gypsies, with whom he would split the booty he was able to acquire. They travelled together on that full moon night to the location Jinki had chosen. Grinning as he saw how quiet everything was, Jinki took out a small jewel-encrusted dagger from his hip and watched it gleam in the moonlight. His timing, as usual, was perfect. 

Creeping around the village as stealthily as he could, Jinki and his band of bandits walked over bravely to the castle and boldly entered the grounds. There seemed to be a very few number of guards, all of whom were fast asleep and snoring loudly. Laughing silently to himself as he fixed the helmet of one of the guards, Jinki led his band of men inside the castle grounds. As quick as a fox, Jinki threw a thick rope which got caught on a spike and scaled the castle wall with ease, dropping silently onto one of the main corridors. The master of this castle certainly seemed to be rich, judging by the various jewelled busts placed along the way to the royal chambers. By this time, his men had managed to enter the castle, dressed as guards and started collecting the busts carefully before tossing a large burlap sack to Jinki, who then proceeded to enter the chamber of the ladies-in-waiting. As he had predicted, the women had removed all of their jewellery and left them right next to their bedside, which made it really accessible to him. Sweeping them into his sack, Jinki opened the wardrobe and took out their jewellery boxes and emptied them all, before proceeding to the final chamber on his list. His eyes gleaming with pride and pleasure, Jinki strolled into the King's chamber and emptied it of all items of value, including fur pelts and stockings of the finest silk. Although he was a bandit who stole from the rich, Jinki would never lay a finger on the coffers, so as not to cause trouble for the lowliest peasants. He only stole jewels and personal trinkets of value that belonged to the royals which they could easily replace. It seemed to be his lucky night as all of the castle's inhabitants had hardly stirred when he entered their chambers. Collecting his booty for the day, Jinki loosened the rope from the spike on the wall and looped it around his waist, before leaving the castle along with his men. Another job well done, as usual. Mentally patting himself on the back, Jinki rode to their hideout and split the booty into shares before visiting the travelling merchant who always bought what he had to offer. He traded the jewels and pelts under the name of Junsu so that no one would ever find out who he really was. When he was Junsu, Jinki was able to do whatever he wanted to, and never needed to hide his skills. His darkest secret kept him in high spirits and something within told Jinki that he would never lose this secret identity.  
*************************************************************************  
As Jonghyun finished his daily practice, he heard the sound of hooves approaching him. Looking up from cleaning his sword, Jonghyun smiled at the Herald who dismounted and ran towards him, with a grim expression on his usually pleasant face.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid I have some bad news"

"You may speak"

"My Liege, the mystery bandit has struck again, and as per the pattern of his previous attacks, it seems as though he will attack your kingdom soon"

Jonghyun felt his heart sink as he heard those words. It had been a secret fear of his, ever since he heard reports of that thief. His so-called kingdom had hardly any money, and his coffers were almost empty. It would become a national shame if any other kingdoms found out about his pitiful state. If the Herald was right, and the bandit would strike him soon then Jonghyun really had to protect his people. Instead of just leaving this job to his army, Jonghyun decided to stay awake every night and guard the borders of his land. Based on what Jonghyun had heard about this bandit, he seemed to be a good fighter, who planned his heist very meticulously. It was crystal clear to Jonghyun that stopping this man wouldn't be easy, and he would surely have to be in multiple places at the same time if he even wished to try his hand at opposing him. Jonghyun would have to increase his own training and probably train the lad, Taemin to act as a lookout for him. It would not be of any use right now to teach the lad how to wield a sword, as it was much too soon. 

Jonghyun almost drove the people around him crazy due to his paranoia, but his vassals and subjects obeyed all of the new rules he had enforced, due to their love for him. He'd ordered the fields to be devoid of people before dusk and ensured that there would be nightly patrol till dawn. Jonghyun spent his time thinking hard about how the strong, able vassals could be informed when they were required to help out. As he racked his brains, Jonghyun was soon struck by the perfect idea. If he got a large brass bell installed to the top of the tower, it would be loud enough for everyone on his estate to hear. Taemin could be in charge of striking the bell to warn the others of danger. As planned, Jonghyun got the bell installed and set up a small room for Taemin. All the able-bodied men of the area had also assembled and informed their prince of their need to be involved. 

Shortly after, Jonghyun personally spent his nights keeping watch, dressed as a farmer. Dressed in sheepskin stockings with his upper body left bare, his muscled torso and strong triceps elicited a lot of stares from the womenfolk. After a week, Jonghyun felt ready to face the bandit, if he dared to attack his lands. 

Meanwhile. Jinki had invested all of the booty from his previous raid into strengthening the defences of his castle and found himself in need of more funds. Assembling his men, Jinki planned his next attack as per his ragged map and they set off for their mission. This time, as Jinki entered the royal chambers, he had the strangest feeling that he was being watched by someone. Spinning around wildly, Jinki saw a child dressed like a scullery maid. Knowing that she would be considered missing, he bade the child keep silent as he carried her to the kitchen, along with his sack of precious booty. A shrill scream let Jinki know that he had been spotted, and he hastened to get away from the castle before the other servants and guards were roused. Running as fast as he could, Jinki whistled for his Arabian and mounted him as he ran, followed by the rest of his men. Knowing they could not risk being seen together, Jinki and his men went their separate ways. A weary Jinki rearranged his clothing to resemble a gypsy but kept the cloth that covered his face in order to not be recognized. Coaxing his Arabian into a slow trot, Jinki passed by the targeted kingdom easily and soon found himself in unfamiliar territory. Knowing that it would be safer, Jinki dismounted and held the reins as he walked across the land, towards his kingdom. He found it extremely strange to see a group of men patrolling the area, holding stout sticks. Hiding a smile, Jinki made a mental note to find out the name of his kingdom that had already started to prepare for his visit. He laughed loudly as he imagined the foolish expression on the face of it's King, once he discovered all his jewels gone. However, Jinki felt that it wouldn't be enough just to take their jewels and busts. In order to teach their ruler a lesson, Jinki was going to take everything he could from the castle.

Trying to find out the points of entry, Jinki deliberately strayed a little closer to the castle, away from the main road where he was previously walking. Almost instantly, he felt the tip of a sharp sword at his throat and looked up with disgust at a man wearing the clothes of a guard. 

"Take your wares elsewhere, merchant. If you take one more step towards our kingdom, I will find pleasure in slicing your throat from ear to ear"

Never had anyone ever dared to speak to him that way. Furious, Jinki glared at the man, who could see nothing except the anger and fire in his eyes. If he had the slightest doubt before, Jinki had definitely made up his mind to find out who this person was, and rob him of everything he owned, before proceeding to the castle. Pulling his Arabian back with him on the way to the main road, Jinki travelled to the stable and changes horses before travelling back to his castle. Unable to sleep, Jinki started to pace up and down the corridor, replaying the events of the night in his mind. Try as he might, he was unable to remove the feeling of utter humiliation from his mind. It was essential for that guard to learn his lesson, and so Jinki made up his mind to strike that kingdom on the next full moon night.  
***************************************************************************  
Jonghyun couldn't shake off the feeling of anxiety he felt when he was visited by the Herald again. This time, the bandit had made a mistake and had almost been caught by the servants at the kingdom he robbed last. A physical description of the clothes he wore had been sent to all of the remaining kingdoms. Shocked when one of the guards had admitted to seeing someone of a similar description, Jonghyun insisted on a portrait to be created by his artist and circulated around the kingdom. The bandit had come too close to his kingdom, and yet no one had stopped him. That wouldn't do, at all. They all had to be more vigilant, and as per the direction in which the robberies were happening, Jonghyun was sure it would be his turn very soon.

In the meantime, Jinki had found out what he needed about his next target. Prince Jonghyun. Although he had never seen him in the flesh, he did find out about his skilled fighting techniques. Prince Jonghyun seemed to be a formidable opponent, but truth be told, Jinki planned to reach the castle by nightfall and completely evade the folk who spent their hours patrolling. Years of practice had made Jinki's steps as light as that of a fox, and he had the stealth and speed of a cheetah, which always helped him to make a speedy getaway. Jinki really couldn't wait to wreak havoc upon that kingdom and its inhabitants. He would finally get his revenge.

Jonghyun knew what his vassals thought of him; a prince like him shouldn't be forced to stand guard on a daily basis. Instead, they expected him to live the way his family used to. Jonghyun couldn't help being different, and he honestly enjoyed being with his vassals, side by side. It helped him understand them better, and he knew he would be able to rule them wisely, because of this experience. 

Jinki had armed himself with a longsword, anticipating that the night wasn't going to be as easy as he'd expected. Leading his army of gypsies, Jinki charged ahead, hoping to catch them unawares. Knowing that he may not be able to rob the guard in time, Jinki changed his tactics and made his way towards the castle. As he got closer, Jinki heard the most deafening sound and stopped in his tracks. They had been spotted. Instantly, he heard a loud roar, similar to a battle cry and unsheathed his sword just in time. Jumping backwards to avoid a sword slashing into his face, Jinki was instantly on the defensive. His opponent was dressed like a lowly peasant, but his manner was anything but that. He had light blonde hair and muscles that seemed to bulge from his naked torso. Although Jinki had received training in the art of swordplay, he was really no match for his barbarian. His opponent seemed to fight in a ruthless manner, as though he didn't mind making a kill for his ruler. 

Jonghyun had been the first one to spy the bandit sneaking around and immediately started to follow him. Once Taemin had issued the warning, his 'army' had rushed in to take care of the nuisance they were facing, while Jonghyun charged towards their leader. As per the previous description he had been given, the bandit was dressed all in black, with his face covered so that one could only notice his eyes. Although the bandit was finding it hard to parry his strikes, Jonghyun could clearly see that he had been trained. The bandit knew how to fight, and that sword of his seemed to be of a royal make. Judging by the ease in which he was using it, it seemed to be the first thing that the bandit had stolen. Chasing the slippery bandit around his estate, Jonghyun stopped as they entered the walls of his castle. Spotting a movement behind the bandit, Jonghyun let his attention waver for a second.

Making full use of the situation, Jinki grabbed a nearby vase and threw it at his attacker, injuring his forehead. Not stopping to check the damage he had done, Jinki went on, towards the royal chamber and was stopped by a chit of a boy. A blonde thing, looking to be in his early teens had the gall to challenge him. Laughing at the impudence of the boy, Jinki brought his sword forward, slashing the boy's arm and forcing him to drop the puny knife he held. For the first time ever, Jinki felt upset over the fact that he had injured two people. Watching the boy collapse and faint at the sight of his blood, Jinki looked around to make sure there was none but him, before tearing off a bit of cloth and binding the arm of the motionless creature. Looking through the window, Jinki could see his army of gypsies had all abandoned him, escaping from these savages and their counter-attack. Seizing his opportunity, Jinki walked into the royal chambers and laid his hands on everything he could find. Filling his sack, he prepared to leave when he was yet again, stopped by the peasant with the imperial manner. Dropping the sack of valuables momentarily, Jinki made up his mind to take care of this nuisance once and for all. He fought with a viciousness unlike himself and kept striking back even though his hands were blistered due to lack of practice. There was no way he could get away without being unmasked, and his secret laid out for all the world to see. The lad from earlier advanced once more to challenge him, and since he was obviously the weakest of the three of them, Jinki swung his sword towards him. Feeling an intense shock as the warrior stepped forward and took the hit, Jinki made his escape as the boy sank to his knees and held on to the warrior's body with tears streaming from his eyes. There was something odd about that warrior peasant and the lad and Jinki knew that he surely had to get to the bottom of things.  
**********************************************************************  
Waking up with a blistering headache, Jonghyun found himself in bed, covered in a thick fur pelt. Kneeling beside the bed was a tired-looking Taemin, his eyes red.

"What's the matter with you, lad? Haven't you slept last night?"

"My Lord, you're awake!"

”What are you talking about, boy? Ugh, what happened? Why can’t I move?”

”You’re injured, My Lord”

”The fight....the bandit..”

”The bandits were easily routed, but you need to rest, My Lord. I had called for the physician who has ordered a weeks rest"

"The tournament...I need to train"

"Please rest, My Lord"

Jonghyun felt a searing pain in his torso as he tried to get out of bed, which forced him to lie back into the covers. For the life of him, Jonghyun couldn't understand what had happened to him and why. He, who was known to have been undefeated in combat, was now lying in bed like an injured wolf. The last thing he remembered was the bandit leader drawing his sword, about to attack the lad. Jonghyun had reacted instinctively and had protected the boy with his own body. It was too bad that he hadn't been able to take a swing at that bandit. For now, all he could do was to take all the medicines provided by the physician and rely on his strength to get better soon and go back to training.

********************************************************************

Jinki couldn't stop thinking of what he had done. He had broken the one promise that he had made to himself. The promise that he would never take a life. Who was that young blonde boy? Could he have been a relative of the elusive Prince Jonghyun? There was surely something mysterious about that kingdom, and Jinki would soon get to know more about it. A noise outside brought him back into reality.

"Your Highness, I have the list of warriors who have accepted to join in the tournament"

Nodding, Jinki took the list from his courtier and smiled as the saw the first name on the scroll. Prince Jonghyun. So it seemed as though he would finally have the chance of meeting him face to face. Wondering if Prince Jonghyun would participate or send in someone as his proxy, Jinki found his thoughts going back to the previous day. When he'd left, the boy had been kneeling on the floor, almost cradling the man who had scared even him. Jinki was certain the man was alive. After all, he had only left a flesh wound that was bound to heal soon. There was no reason for him to feel guilty over what he had done, but why did he still have this strange feeling of disappointment? Would it be worth going back to that kingdom in disguise just to check what had happened after he had escaped? No, he couldn't risk anything at this point. All he could do was wait with bated breath to see if he would hear anything on the grapevine.

********************************************************************

Jonghyun who had spent a week in bed, just resting and recuperating, had almost got all of his strength back, thanks to the efforts of his excellent physician. His muscles all ached to get back into the usual routine of training, and because of the previous incident, Jonghyun had insisted in the lad getting trained as well. With absolutely no skill to speak of, it was surely going to be difficult for the little lad to assume his true title when required. How would he even be able to defend himself during battle? Jonghyun planned to introduce the boy as Prince on the day of his sixteenth birthday and now had three full years to teach him how to fight. Serving as a page would help Taemin know how a prince should act and would save Jonghyun a lot of time and effort.

"Lad, come here"

"Yes, My Lord"

"You will need to serve another prince as his page, as part of your training. Choose which kingdom you would like to go to"

"I can't leave you, My Lord. I beg of you not to send me away. I promise to do my duties well"

As usual, the tears that were brimming in the boy's eyes made Jonghyun grant his wish instantly. It had always been this way, ever since the child took his first steps in the kingdom. Though he knew his station, the boy had preferred to be by Jonghyun's side. Even when he had been born, the crying child would instantly quieten at the sound of Jonghyun's voice. How could Jonghyun ever think of sending the child away, although he knew that it was the best thing for him? 

Wiping off the sweat from his brow, Taemin tried again to lift the heavy longsword that had been given to him, and attack his lord. After weeks of practice, his own lord was testing his skills in combat. Try as he might, Taemin still wasn't able to raise the sword more than his shoulder. Throwing it to the ground, Taemin picked up his small knife and sprang to attack. 

"Good lad, you've practised hard. Last week, you couldn't lift the sword more than your knee"

Smiling to himself as he saw the boy flush with pleasure, Jonghyun knew that this small word of praise would be cherished by Taemin for the rest of his days. He planned to take the boy along with him, for the tournament. If Taemin showed even more improvement, then it would even be really interesting to enter him into the tournament and see how he would perform. He knew there would be a few contests for pages and he would personally feel really proud if Taemin would shine in them. Taemin was moderate at archery, terrible in wrestling, but was proving to be quite promising in the art of swordplay. His lanky, slender stature would surely make him a sitting duck for wrestling and it was definitely vital for the lad to bulk himself up a little bit, so as to not embarrass the kingdom he would represent. Jonghyun made a mental note to himself to speak to the cooks about feeding the boy even more porridge every day and he would increase Taemin's training so that he could be ready a month before the tournament.  
Jonghyun watched with barely concealed pride as Taemin swung himself onto the horse that had been provided to him. It was an hour’s ride to the arena and the duo had been well-rested and refreshed for their journey. Their fast horses took them to the arena in forty-five minutes, which gave them enough time to water their horses and get to their tents. There were almost two dozen other pages who were to participate in their respective contests. 

*********************************************************

From his position at the pedestal, Jinki watched the pages walk towards the ground for the first contest in archery. One of the boys looked vaguely familiar to him, and Jinki almost jumped with a start as he realized who it was. The impudent imp from Prince Jonghyun's kingdom. Wondering if the lad had improved from the time they had met, Jinki leaned forward in his seat and watched with bated breath as the boy shot bull's eye after bull's eye. It was certain to say that he had surely trained for this day. Had his master trained him? Would it be safe to assume that Jinki would finally be able to meet the elusive Prince Jonghyun? Almost star-struck with anticipation, Jinki waited to see who would be the next contender from that particular kingdom. Surprisingly enough, the same page was participating in all the activities and somehow excelling in all of them. The fire of determination in that boy's eyes highly impressed Jinki who felt ready to give him a token of his appreciation even if that kingdom didn't win the prize money. 

*********************************************************

Taemin grinned triumphantly as he saw the leaderboard with his name right at the top. Due to the days of vigorous practice, he had done his best at all types of events. From the corner of his eye, Taemin could see the smile on Jonghyun's face and felt the true pleasure of making his lord proud. 

Jonghyun smiled as he saw the tired, dirty Taemin jumping up and down not unlike a child, waving his arms at the cheering crowd. He was surely the underdog of that side competition, being scrawnier than all of the other pages, and had won the respect and love of all the members of the crowd. Now it was the turn of the princes and their proxies, and Jonghyun walked boldly to the arena, burning with the urge to win. The grand prize would surely help him to restore the glory of his kingdom, and he would soon be able to claim the throne. Stripping off his tunic to reveal his white vest, Jonghyun picked up his bow and instantly dominated the event of archery. Though the bow was heavier than what he was used to, he lifted it easily and struck his targets perfectly. Prince Jinki had stepped away from his spot on the pedestal, but the enthusiastic crowd was more than making up for it. Their cheers ignited the winning spirit inside him, which brought him to the top of the leaderboard with quite a large margin between him and the others. The next event, wrestling, was something Jonghyun knew he would excel at, having spent the past few months training. The type of wrestling was something quite unusual. Opponents would stand on a wooden plank above a moat, and try to throw each other into the water below. Gripping the hands of his opponent, Jonghyun shifted his weight onto his legs as he bent himself backwards till his hair touched the plank, before suddenly flipping and tossing his opponent into the water, causing a huge splash. Jonghyun’s muscles hurt him a little as the majority of his opponents were heavier than he was. Straining slightly, Jonghyun managed to come out on top, as usual. 

******************************************************

Jinki spotted the leaderboard as soon as he returned. Prince Jonghyun was at the top of the list and would surely win the tournament. His wise courtiers wanted him to get married to the winner who would prove to be the strongest and most skilled person in the land. Marrying Prince Jonghyun definitely wouldn't be a bad idea, considering the name he had made for himself, Jinki was quite sure that this match would be the best among the rest of the contenders. The last event was swordplay where the winner was the one who disarmed his opponent first. Raising his eyebrows as he recognized Prince Jonghyun's proxy, Jinki felt a few beads of sweat roll down his forehead. It was the blonde man whom he had wounded, and judging by the look of panic on his opponent's face, it was clear that this mystery warrior was immensely strong and skilled. If only he could get over the immense feelings of rage that boiled his insides, Jinki knew that his own army would benefit from having someone like that warrior leading them to victory. Making up his mind to recruit that man as soon as the match was over, Jinki sat back in his seat to watch the fun. Watching the swords clanging against each other, Jinki felt happy as the mysterious warrior won his match, just as everyone in the audience had predicted. Prince Jonghyun would be his. Although this was to be an arranged marriage, Jinki couldn't help but be thrilled to think of what was to come. Finally, a worthy partner for him. 

The page, Taemin had stepped forward to collect the bag of coin promised to the winner, which gave Jinki enough time to study him further. Somehow, the lad possessed royal features which confused Jinki entirely. How could a lad like that just be a mere page? Dismissing those thoughts, Jinki removed one of the chains from around his neck and presented it to the boy. 

"You did well, lad. Your master must be proud"

"Thank you, Your Highness"

Jinki watched the blonde warrior approach the other contestants, wiping away the sweat from his brow before congratulating them on their performance. From his place on the stand, Jinki called out,

"Well done, my good man. You've done your kingdom proud"

Turning to his courtier, Jinki announced that he was ready to marry Prince Jonghyun, and noticed the bright smile on the lad's face.

"The man who was your lord's proxy did very well. I'm sure he would do wonders leading my vast army"

"Your Highness, my lord doesn't have a proxy. That's my lord, Prince Jonghyun"

Jinki was livid. Could that boor really be a prince? That too, the prince he was going to marry? This wasn’t the way things were supposed to be. How could he have been so stupid to agree to this marriage without even meeting his fiancé face to face? There was no way he would marry someone like that person who didn't even know how to dress. That person was a brute and Jinki planned on getting their so-called marriage annulled as soon as he could. 

Jonghyun, on the other hand, was really thrilled to know that he was the winner of the tournament. One of Prince Jinki's courtiers approached him to announce that Prince Jinki had agreed to their marriage. Although Jonghyun was surprised that the prince had agreed without even seeing him, this was a wonderful thing to happen to his subjects as he would legally be able to use some of Prince Jinki's wealth to line his own coffers. The most important thing he had to do, was to make Prince Jinki like him. Although he didn't look it, Jonghyun possessed a soft heart and couldn’t bear to force the gentle prince to do something he wasn’t comfortable with. What Jonghyun wasn’t prepared for, was the fury on the prince’s face as he said his vows in front of those who had raised him. Had he said something to offend Prince Jinki?

Horrified and disgusted with himself, Jinki let his anger show as he repeated the vows that bound him to Prince Jonghyun. As was the custom, he was given away by his oldest courtier, and Prince Jonghyun signed the documents that gave him control of half the kingdom. True, he looked like a lost puppy, but how could Jinki even begin to trust him with his deepest secret? There was no way this prince would support him, let alone join him. Jinki had a better chance of enlisting the help of the page, even if it meant that he had to seduce him to do his bidding. Retiring to his chamber once the ceremony was complete, Jinki started to pack his things. It made more sense for them to spend an equal amount of time at both their kingdoms and strengthen their joint defences. 

"My Prince, what is your pleasure? Please let me know what you like, so I will have it ready by the time we reach my kingdom"

"How dare you win the tournament and claim my hand?"

"I have a duty towards my vassals, which is why I had participated"

"You disgust me. I know you only want my property and riches to salvage what you can from the ruins of your paltry kingdom"

"My Prince, I swear that I care for you"

"Liar, I will never permit you to touch me"

Shocked at this outburst, Jonghyun inclined his head slightly and left the chamber. It wouldn't be easy for the prince to leave his home, and though he was right to note the differences in the financial positions of their respective kingdoms, that jibe hurt. If his brother had managed to keep their coffers filled, then it would be Jonghyun who'd have organized a tournament, and he would have absolutely no need to participate in all of the tournaments that offered coin as compensation. He'd arranged a carriage to transport the three of them, but the way his new husband had been looking at him, it was certain that Jonghyun would have to ride ahead and leave the lad to protect the prince.

Jinki was escorted into the carriage by the young page, while his husband mounted one of the horses. Based on how nonchalant everyone around him was, Jinki understood that this act of his husband was quite normal. However, what Jinki didn't miss was the hurt expression in Jonghyun's eyes as he yelled at him. Disregarding his earlier plan of seducing the lad, Jinki decided to draw him out and find out more about Jonghyun. 

"Lad, tell me of your master"

"Your Highness, my master has been handling the affairs of state ever since he was quite young. His brother, the King, perished in a war many years ago"

"What of you? How have you come to serve your master?"

"When my mother passed on, my master brought me with him to the palace"

Why would Jonghyun bring a random orphan with him? Why this particular one? Only time would tell. Nodding, Jinki pretended to be asleep and soon found his heavy eyes closing for the rest of his journey.

Jonghyun pulled the horses to a halt at a nearby inn and purchased two rooms for themselves. Since he'd had no sleep at all, he could feel his eyes closing every few minutes and would surely have a mishap without the needed rest. Savouring the fresh, cool breeze as he approached the carriage, he found his prince slumped in his seat, his breathing deep and even, as he slept. Jinki's features seemed soft and relaxed, which was a side Jonghyun hadn't seen at all. Almost as if he knew he was being watched, Jinki awoke with a start, recoiling from the hand Jonghyun had extended. 

"We'll be spending the night at this inn, my Prince. I've purchased two rooms and have called for a bath as well"

Jinki tapped the shoulder of the sleeping lad and walked out of the carriage without looking back. By the time Jonghyun woke the sleeping Taemin and entered the inn, the owner informed him that Prince Jinki had already occupied one of the rooms. Hastening his steps and opening the door, he was greeted by a very angry Jinki.

"I don't permit you to enter"

"But...my Prince..."

"Get out, and send the lad in. He will keep me company for this night"

Though he was shocked, Jonghyun tried to think as the prince did. Homesickness was possible, and the young Taemin posed no threat to Jinki, whom Jonghyun supposed, had become more familiar with the lad than he let on. Shrugging his shoulders good-naturedly, Jonghyun left the room and sent Taemin inside.

"My Lord, but this isn't supposed to happen"

"That's alright, lad. Go help Prince Jinki"

Although Taemin was horrified at the way his master was being treated, he was smart enough not to utter a word in Prince Jinki's presence. What he couldn't understand is why the prince, who was nice to him, was so horrible to Jonghyun. After knocking politely, Taemin entered and started to assist Prince Jinki with his bath.

”Come here, lad”

”Your Highness, may I ask you something?”

Once the Prince nodded, Taemin cleared his throat and mustered up all of his courage. 

“Your Highness, do you truly hate my master?”

Jinki truly didn’t know how he could even answer that question without offending the boy who now gazed up at him like a nervous puppy. 

“I don’t know him, lad. It will take me a lot more time to learn to trust him”

”Is that why you insisted on a different room?”

"Just go to sleep lad. We'll have to rise early tomorrow"

Jonghyun spent his night tossing and turning, trying to replay all of the events that had happened so he could figure out what he had done wrong. Waking up early, Jonghyun entered the stables and started to groom the horses himself, much to the chagrin and horror of the innkeeper.

"Your Majesty, we have stable boys who will take care of this. Please go back to your room. I have arranged a grand feast in your honour"

"Fret not, my good man. Their horses have been in my care since they were foals, and I enjoy tending to them"

Smiling as he felt the stallions rub their noses against his shoulder, Jonghyun felt all of his worries disappear. He knew exactly what to do next. Jonghyun planned to court Jinki the way he was supposed to, in the first place. After sending for Taemin on his way back to his room, Jonghyun thought of how he could start to woo his prince.

"My Lord, why hadn't you sent for me before? I would have helped you with your attire"

"From now on, you will be Prince Jinki's page and will assist him with whatever he needs. This would help train you for the future"

"But, My Lord, what about you? I can serve both of you"

"Go to your new master, lad and don't worry about me. I can take care of myself"

Jinki woke up in a strange place. One that he wasn't accustomed to. As he rubbed his eyes and remembered all that had happened, he heard a soft knock and the young boy nervously poked his head through the door.

"My Lord, how may I assist you? Shall I call for a hot bath?"

"No, lad. Go to your master and leave me be for a while"

"My Lord, I will be serving you from now on"

This was odd, but Jinki wasn't someone who passed on anything that came his way. Based on what he had observed, it was quite obvious that the lad, Taemin both adored and idolized Jonghyun. His face seemed like that of the upper-class merchants, if not royalty, but his manners were impeccable. It seemed quite obvious that Jonghyun hadn't intended on Taemin staying as a page for much longer.

Following the tantalizing smells that wafted up till the window, Jinki strolled into the dining hall, Taemin in tow. Somehow Jonghyun seemed to have had a hand in what had been prepared. All of Jinki's favourite food decorated the main table, where Jonghyun sat, waiting. Chicken cooked with spices, roasted pheasant with smooth creamy potatoes, and mulled wine to wash it all down. Unbeknownst to anyone around him, these were what Jinki had eaten as a child. Feeling his mood instantly improve, Jinki smiled at Jonghyun brightly, before tucking in. Just as he had expected, the food was succulent and well seasoned. In fact, they all tasted even better than they smelled, a feat he had once thought was impossible. Excusing himself, Jinki walked into the kitchen to the shock of a wide-eyed cook, to whom he presented a purse. Jinki was certain he would visit this inn again, and sample their wares at least once a month. 

Approached by a serving wench who whispered the happenings in the kitchen in his ear, Jonghyun smiled to think of how warm and soft Jinki seemed to be. Now that it was time to depart, Jonghyun kept thinking of how Jinki would react if he sat next to him in the carriage this time.

"I trust you have dined well, my prince. I propose we leave for the kingdom now so that we can reach by sundown"

Jonghyun saw the prince nod silently and counted the fact that he wasn't contradicted, as a personal victory. Purchasing a lute from a wandering minstrel, Jonghyun got the horses ready and sat by the driver. They had a long way to go, and he was determined to make each moment count.

Knowing that Jinki was certainly asleep, and not wanting to shake him awake, Jonghyun used his secret weapon in the hopes that it would help his situation.

Jinki found himself transported to a happier time, the instant he heard the notes of an old folk song. He saw himself as a five-year-old, sitting under an apple tree with his father playing the tune on a lute. They’d finish up by picking enough apples for a pie for dessert, and he’d eat all he could, before going to bed with his father, the king, stroking his hair while whispering a lullaby. Those were the days when the first snowfall was always the whitest. Breaking free from his daydream, Jinki realized that the notes were coming from somewhere really close to him. Specifically, they were coming from outside the carriage. Almost jumping out in his haste, Jinki started to hum along to the music, with his eyes closed. He started to sing the song with his beautiful voice and found himself being joined by someone with a more powerful voice than him. Although he couldn't see whose divine voice that was, Jinki satisfied himself by continuing to sing a duet with his partner. For the first time in years, he felt genuinely happy.

Mesmerized by Jinki's incredibly lovely voice, Jonghyun couldn't help but join in. Since he has no idea of how Jinki would respond to that song, he’d chosen to hide behind a tree, and let the music speak the words he couldn’t. It was an old folk song that spoke of love and loving each other for all eternity. As their two voices melded together into one, Jonghyun stepped out from his hiding place and walked towards Jinki, still singing. As soon as he came into view, Jinki abruptly stopped singing and walked away. Jonghyun however, continued the song and changed the last line to "Even if you can't hear me, I won't give up". Happy to note that he'd learned one more thing about Jinki, Jonghyun walked into the castle, understanding that Jinki still needed a lot more time for him to loosen up. 

Jinki, on the other hand, was still reeling from the shock of Jonghyun’s strong and powerful voice. The way their voices sounded together was just magical and there was no way for him to continue singing when he saw that it was Jonghyun. He hadn’t meant to run away, but at that moment, Jinki couldn’t trust himself not to do anything. Frankly, at that moment, he couldn’t think of anything to do apart from rushing to Jonghyun and wrapping his arms around his waist. Truth be told, Jonghyun with his rippling muscles was exactly the type of man Jinki secretly liked, but was afraid to admit his true feelings. Even from his early childhood, ever since he lost his father, Jinki had created a sort of mask to hide all of his feelings. He'd been taught that he had to be perfect, which was why he was rebelling now by stealing. Though he longed to trust Jonghyun, Jinki was afraid to let him into his heart. When he loved, he loved deeply and sincerely, but Jinki's luck was such that he had always lost everyone whom he had truly loved. Although he hated to admit it, Jinki wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to Jonghyun.

Jonghyun had the chambermaids prepare all of the chambers available so Jinki could choose which felt more comfortable for him. It was obvious to Jonghyun that they wouldn’t be sharing a chamber, similar to the situation at the inn. After calling for a hot bath with perfumed water for Jinki, he approached his courtiers to prepare an announcement of his marriage to Jinki. Traditionally, they had to organize a grand party along with a coronation, but in this case, Jonghyun felt an announcement would work for the best, as Jinki may not want to play the role of host and entertain the guests from nearby kingdoms.

Jinki was resting in his chamber when he heard a soft knock. Waving an excited looking Taemin inside, Jinki let the lad start to shave him and thereby complete his grooming routine.

"Your Majesty, have you heard? There will be a huge party soon, to announce your wedding. I really hope all the other pages can come, too. I haven’t met my friends for a long time. We usually only meet during tournaments"

A party? What the heck was that about? It seemed as though fate was playing with him, as he now definitely had to speak to Jonghyun in private, something he'd wanted to avoid for as long as he possibly could. 

"Prince Jonghyun, may I speak to you?"

"Please call me Jonghyun"

"Jonghyun, I was informed about a party which is to take place"

"My prince, we won't be having a party. Instead, I thought having an announcement of our wedding would be better"

"Let's host the party"

Jonghyun was surprised and honestly, rather shocked by what Jinki said but made the conscious decision not to let his surprise be known, in case Jinki changed his mind. Nodding, he instructed his chief courtier to go over the guest list with Jinki while he and Taemin arranged the decorations that were needed. 

It took a week for everything to be ready, and the castle was highly lit up and decorated for this event. Although this was for the princes, everyone else looked at this event like a ball where they could possibly meet the ones they'd love. Jonghyun was hanging up some lights when he saw Jinki approach him.

"I've purchased a tunic for you, which Taemin has laid on your bed. Please wear it this evening"

Pleasantly surprised, Jonghyun rushed to his chamber and found an exquisite tunic in ivory with silver threads, a sky blue-collar, and diamond buttons. When had his husband bought it for him? Putting on the tunic and fastening the buttons on the collar, Jonghyun walked downstairs to the main hall and greeted all the visiting princes and princesses from all the invited kingdoms. As he spoke to one of the princes, a vision in startled him. Looking up, he smiled broadly as he saw Jinki, looking even more handsome than usual in a tunic of deep red, with gold threads. 

Jinki couldn't help but smile as he saw the way Jonghyun was staring at him, with his mouth open. Jonghyun was also looking perfectly delectable, with that ivory tunic acting as a wrapper that Jinki was dying to tear off. As the music started playing, Jonghyun approached him, still with a smitten look on his handsome face.

"May I have this dance, my prince?"

Though Jinki found it rather unsettling that his husband never seemed to use his name, the lilting melody of the song appealed to him, and his instantly grasped Jonghyun's outstretched hand and walked with him to the middle of the floor for their first dance together. Jonghyun was an incredible dancer, almost the epitome of grace. As they spun around together, Jinki felt himself warming up even more, and when their chests collided as Jonghyun pulled him out of the way of another couple, Jinki felt a shock like he had never experienced before. For some reason, this skin to skin contact with Jonghyun was electrifying beyond belief, and all the desire he'd kept hidden, came up to the surface. He wasn't alone in this as he could see the change in Jonghyun's breathing as they stood not even an inch apart. How could he even begin to control himself after this?

"Jonghyun, I feel faint. Would you escort me to my chamber?"  
With his fire of desire stirring, Jonghyun understood the meaning behind Jinki's request. What they both needed was but a moment of privacy. Escorting his husband up the stairs, Jonghyun waited for Jinki to make the first move, hoping he wasn’t mistaken. 

"Jonghyun, I wanted to spend some time with you before the announcement"

"My Prince, your pleasure is mine"

"Let’s dance together"

As the music continued to play, Jonghyun took Jinki’s hand and swayed with him. They were so close that they could hear each other’s hearts racing. As Jonghyun saw the smile that lit up across Jinki’s face and brought his face closer to kiss him, the inevitable happened. The fanfare had begun, which was the sign that the princes had to report back to the main hall.

With a wry smile, Jonghyun took Jinki’s hand and led him back down the stairs to the applause that welcomed them.

"I would hereby like to announce the wedding of our very own Prince Jonghyun, with Prince Jinki. As per his request, Prince Jonghyun’s coronation will take place in a few months"

Taking the fire opal ring from his chief courtier, Jonghyun slid it into its rightful place on Jinki's ring finger. 

After spending the next couple of hours talking to the guests and mingling, Jonghyun and Jinki finally had time to talk.

"Thank you for this beautiful ring, I'll always wear it"

"A fire opal is the most suited for someone with a fiery nature, such as yourself"

His breath got caught in his chest as Jinki stepped closer to him, Jonghyun was almost surprised though he knew what would come next. Jonghyun's heart started to pound as he felt Jinki's lips on his. If he ever had any sort of doubt before, they were all displaced, by this one kiss that made him realize that they were indeed, made for each other. Almost losing it when Jinki started to nibble on his lower lip, Jonghyun sighed and grasped Jinki by the waist, bringing him even closer. When they broke away, both princes were left breathing heavily, trying to regulate their heartbeats. Jonghyun recovered first and placed a tender kiss to the top of Jinki's head.

"Goodnight, my prince"

***************************************************************

Jinki stayed awake, thinking about all of the wonderful feelings that the kiss had evoked. Why hadn't he initiated this earlier? Looking at the opal ring on his finger, he was reminded of the expression of wonder on Jonghyun's face when he saw Jinki walking down the stairs. Based on the way everyone seemed to love Jonghyun, it seemed as though Jinki had really hit the jackpot when it came to choosing a husband. As he closed his eyes, Jinki made a promise to himself that when the dawn broke, he would tell Jonghyun about his secret identity. As he dozed, Jinki awoke to the sound of someone in his chamber. Sitting up in bed and cursing the fact that he'd refused to have any kind of weapon with him, Jinki looked around for something he could use to intimidate the intruder. As he stood up, Jinki saw another person enter his chamber and felt a sickly sweet smelling cloth pressed to his nose and felt his legs give away from under him. Savouring his last breath, he whispered "Jonghyun-ah..." before all went black.

When Jinki awoke, he found himself tied to a chair, with a rag in his mouth. What he wasn't prepared for, was when the assailants uncovered their faces. Jinki knew who they were, but not why they had kidnapped him. Princes from two neighbouring kingdoms who had been defeated by Jonghyun at the tournament.

"Do you think his husband would come for him?"

"I don't think so. As far as I've heard, they don't even like each other"

"What about the money? Would he pay for this one's release?"

"It's worth a try"

"If he doesn't pay, then we can think of something else"

For the first time in years, Jinki actually felt afraid for his life. He hadn't even told Jonghyun about his true feelings. Since his hands and legs were both tied, Jinki didn't have a way to escape. 

*****************************************************

"My lord, my lord! Please wake up"

"What is it, lad? Can't a man sleep an hour longer?"

"Prince Jinki is missing"

His sleep all gone, Jonghyun jumped out of bed and rushed towards Jinki's chamber. Judging by the scattered pillows and sheets on the floor, he'd been awake when he was taken. As far as he knew, Jonghyun didn't have many enemies as he'd always tried hard to ensure friendly relations between the neighbouring kingdoms. Why hadn't he remembered that the thief hadn't been caught? It could have easily been the vagrant he'd fought earlier, but his style wasn't kidnapping. Whatever be the case, he had to find Jinki before anything bad could happen to him. Though it was a loss of face for him, Jonghyun didn't care and instantly announced a reward for anyone who had any kind of information on Jinki's disappearance. Each minute he waited seemed like an eternity, and Jonghyun soon got the information he needed. Someone had seen strangers carrying a rather large sack on horseback a few hours ago, and since the sky had been clear, the tracks were still intact. Saddling his horse and sheathing his sword, Jonghyun set off to bring his husband back. Though he knew it would be better to wait for others to join him, Jonghyun's horse was fast and he didn't want to waste another moment. As he followed the tracks, Jonghyun realized that this area seemed very familiar to him. There was an abandoned millhouse where he used to spend hours as a child, playing with his older brother. Would it be possible that Jinki was held there? Was the kidnapper so foolish to use an area in his own kingdom? As he slowed his horse down to a trot, Jonghyun saw something glinting in the sunlight. Jumping off, he walked towards the object and picked it up. It was the opal ring he'd given his husband. Any doubt he had was blown away. He knew for a fact that Jinki was here. Tying his horse to a tree, Jonghyun walked towards the millhouse as quietly as he could, so as not to alarm the inhabitants.  
Jinki pretended to be asleep while breathing deeply as he struggled to loosen his bonds. These men had tied the knots so tightly that no matter how hard he tried, the bonds didn't move even an inch. It had only been hours but Jinki was already beginning to feel rather exhausted. They were obliged to feed him, so at that time, he felt he had a chance to escape. As he glared at his captors' backs, Jinki sensed a movement outside the window. Stretching his neck as much as possible, he was startled when he saw someone with tousled blonde hair looking through the window. He knew that face, but Jinki had no idea how Jonghyun had figured out where he was. Was he dreaming? Was this just his delusion?

As he peered through the window to determine if this was the right location, Jonghyun saw his Jinki gagged and bound. Furious and not even caring how many men were the culprits, Jonghyun unsheathed his sword and kicked down the door. The two men jumped and backed away towards the wall, their eyes wary.

"Get out. Now. Before I run my sword through you vermin"

Wide-eyed, they took Jonghyun's advice and hightailed it out of there. Sheathing his sword, Jonghyun ran to Jinki and removed his bonds.

Jinki felt a surge of love for his husband who had single-handedly scared away his captors. Almost unconsciously, as soon as he was untied, Jinki leaned forward and grabbed Jonghyun's waist, burying his face in Jonghyun's chest.

”Jonghyun, you came”

"Of course I did"

"I thought you'd hate me because of the way I treated you"

"I can never hate you, my prince"

Jonghyun thought he saw a different expression on Jinki’s tired face but chose to ignore it as he helped him to his feet. Wrapping an arm around Jinki’s waist as he swayed, Jonghyun lifted Jinki to the saddle and held the reins in his hand as he walked. They were hailed by his vassals as they approached the castle, and ushered inside by a joyous Taemin who immediately took Jinki inside to attend to him.

**************************************************************************************

"My Lord, I'm so glad you're back. My master was so worried about you"

For some reason, Jinki felt his heart getting warmed by those words. Jonghyun had worried about him.

"Jonghyun...worried?"

"Oh yes, my Lord. My master didn't want to wait for the army in case they cost him time"

He had to tell Jonghyun his secret first and let him determine if he wanted an annulment from their marriage, which hadn't yet been consummated. Not wanting to do it in the castle, Jinki felt that the inn where there'd stopped the first time may be a better place for them to speak, undisturbed. Striding towards Jonghyun's chamber, Jinki knocked softly,

"My husband, may we dine together?"

The pleasantly surprised Jonghyun almost bounded like a puppy in his haste to grant the request of his handsome husband. As he watched Jinki saddle the two horses, Jonghyun understood the need for privacy. As someone who had just been abducted, it was obvious that Jinki didn't want to spend any more time at his castle. Expecting to dine at Prince Jinki's castle, Jonghyun bade the lad to stay back and take care of affairs till he returned. It was about time he told Jinki of the truth about Taemin as well. Since the horses had been fed and watered, they galloped rather than trotted, which reduced their journey to an hour. As Jinki slowed his horse to take the road towards the inn, Jonghyun did the same.

"There is something I wish to tell you"

"Let's talk after we dine"

This arrangement definitely suited Jonghyun who had no idea of how Jinki would react when he heard that Taemin was royal. There was a high possibility of Jinki demanding that Taemin never be told of the truth. As they sat at the banquet table and ravenously tucked into the delicious food and mead, they heard the sounds of glass breaking, and the innkeeper's wife screaming in fear. Jonghyun took a quick glance at his husband, who had unsheathed his sword, and did the same. All he'd heard was that Prince Jinki hadn't had much experience or training in the skill of fighting, and so knew that he would protect his husband and not let even one person reach him. This time, judging by their clothes and mannerisms, it was obvious that the intruders were highway robbers, who were going to be taught the hardest lesson of their lives. As the swords clanged together, Jonghyun looked at Jinki from the corner of his eye. Jinki, who was fighting with both, skill and finesse. There was something very odd about his style of fighting, as it was something Jonghyun was sure he had seen before. Between the two of them, they routed away all of the robbers and sat back down to finish their meal. Jonghyun couldn't help but try to remember where he had seen this distinct style of fighting when it hit him.

Jinki noticed the change of expressions on Jonghyun's face, which had now become schooled into a mask of feigned calmness, which he most certainly couldn't interpret. Taking a final swig of his jug of mead for courage, Jinki stood up and bade Jonghyun join him in their chamber. As Jonghyun closed the door behind him, Jinki felt a sudden stab of fear, looking at his husband's face. He had never seen this grim expression, and for a minute, didn't want to tell him the truth.

"Jonghyun, I...I need to tell you something"

"I already know. What I want to know is why you did it. Did you think I'm such a fool not to notice?"

"Jonghyun...I"

"Silence. A bandit like you shouldn't be allowed to speak in my presence. Get out and leave me be"

With a sound that seemed suspiciously like a sob, Jonghyun sank into one of the chairs provided and held his head, scaring Jinki immensely.

*************************************************************************************

Jonghyun just felt so betrayed that he couldn't control the pain and anger that had reached his surface. Why would Jinki, the richest prince in the land, turn to steal from those like him who had to fight to save his people from starvation? He could never forgive this, no matter what explanation he received.  
"My husband, please give me a chance to explain myself"

"I can't abide to look at you"

”Please. I beg you”

The urgency in Jinki’s voice caused Jonghyun to look up, into his face. Jinki, with his eyes brimming with unshed tears, just looked immensely vulnerable at that moment and that was certainly something Jonghyun couldn't resist. Holding Jinki's hands, Jonghyun pulled him to sit beside him on the bed, his face softening,

"Make me understand. Tell me why you started stealing"

"I was someone who never knew what struggle was. Ever since my parents died, everyone in the kingdom treated me as their own, and gave up what they had, just so that I would remain happy. When I realized what was happening, I vowed to protect them at all costs, come what may. Once, when I was travelling to another kingdom for my first tournament, I saw a group of people who were forced to leave as they weren't able to pay the taxes enforced on them. A family of four, the woman heavily pregnant, struggling for their next meal while their rulers sat on a jewelled throne. I couldn't bear to see it and tried to help them when we were all stopped by a band of rebels. At that moment, I was able to understand what they were trying to do. The rebels all were brave, but they needed a leader. The people needed help, so I became the leader of the rebels. Instead of entering the tournament, I went as a spectator and found out where the coffers were. We struck at night, taking everything we could, and left a note for the ruler that we would return to take his life if he didn't treat his subjects well. That was where it all started. I didn't mean to attack you. Please believe me."

"Let's not talk about me. I'm happy that you helped out those people, but you need to stop this, Jinki. It isn't safe"

"With someone like you by my side, I'm sure I'll be fine"

"The two princes who kidnapped you....have you robbed them before?"

"Never, but now they're my next target. I promise you that I will stop"

"I cannot permit you to do this"

Now that he'd heard the story, Jonghyun couldn't help but feel a little proud of Jinki. It seemed as though both of them had lived rough lives, but dealt with it differently. How could Jonghyun remain angry with Jinki for hiding something when he had done the same thing?

"My prince, there's something I have to tell you. It's about the lad"

"Is Taemin your son? Both of you have similar features"

"No, he's my brother's"

"Why hasn't he been crowned yet? The lad has royal blood"

Jonghyun stopped in his tracks, having not expected this conversation to go as smoothly as it was.

"Don't you have any objection to it?"

"None"

**************************************************************************

Overcome by relief and feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest, Jinki got into the covers, leaving enough room for Jonghyun to join him. He had already suspected that the lad was royal, from his regal bearing. Even the lad's fondness for Jonghyun made him wonder if he was his heir. Once they returned to their kingdom, he wanted to sit the lad down and tell him, together. His heart fluttered as he felt Jonghyun enter the covers as well. Settling down, Jonghyun's deep and easy breathing told him that he was asleep. Sitting up to look at Jonghyun's sleeping face, Jinki was struck once again by how handsome he was. Stroking his hair, Jinki smiled as the sleeping Jonghyun sighed before stretching his arm across Jinki's waist and snuggled close. It felt nice. Having Jonghyun's arm around him felt really good, and this closeness was something Jinki had definitely missed out on. Smiling at the way their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, Jinki closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. 

Jonghyun awoke to find Jinki lying almost across him, curled up like a child, his fist touching his cheek. Lightly tracing Jinki's features, Jonghyun kissed his forehead to wake him up. The beatific smile on Jinki's face was more than enough for him to understand that this was not a dream, but reality. Jinki did feel the same way towards him. 

"My Prince, I've called for a bath, so once you're finished, we can dine and leave for the castle"

"Stay"

"But...the bath..."

"There's no reason why I should bathe alone"

Letting out a little squeak of astonishment, Jonghyun abruptly left the room before Jinki could see how red his face had become. Hearing Jinki's giggles through the closed door, Jonghyun shook his head, smiling to himself as he went to speak to the cook. It was definitely much too soon, but it was good that both of them wanted to take things at a slow pace.

*********************************************************************************

Jinki couldn't help but laugh as he saw Jonghyun skipping out of their room, his face turning an endearing shade of pink. It was enjoyable to tease his husband and watch him squirm. Jonghyun didn't know this, but Jinki had his own plans for what to do once they went back to the castle. He had planned to attack his kidnappers and return back before Jonghyun woke up. The easiest way for Jonghyun to not wake up is if Jinki gave him a sleeping-draught, which wouldn't be an easy task. They kept stealing glances at each other from across the table as they dined, which made Jinki realize that they were courting each other, all over again. He was able to see the soft side that his husband had kept hidden from most of the people who knew him. How could he have thought Jonghyun was a brutish boor? It was time to return to their reality, and somehow Jinki really didn't want this day to end. Feeling romantic, Jinki suggested riding together, on his horse, which was the sturdier of the two. Though Jonghyun had expressed some initial reluctance overtiring the horse, Jinki managed to convince his husband to ride in front of him for a few minutes. Jinki was enjoying the way Jonghyun felt against him. Slipping an arm around his waist, and caressing it slightly, Jinki grinned as Jonghyun shivered with the thrill. What Jinki enjoyed the most was the various reactions of his husband as he touched him.  
Once they reached the castle, Jonghyun's mind started whirring with how to tell Taemin the truth. All through the return journey, his mind had been otherwise occupied with endless thoughts of Jinki. He'd never known how playful Jinki could be, and it was extremely refreshing to see this side of his. It made more sense to tell Taemin the truth when Jinki was around. The lad seemed to worship Jinki, and as far as Jonghyun could see, Jinki seemed to be rather fond of Taemin as well. 

Pretending to check the menu for dinner, Jinki quickly took some ingredients that would help him make the sleeping draught. Jinki managed to sneak into a corner, where he would be unobserved where he slowly boiled some water and added lavender, chamomile and a bit of powdered ginger and stirred. The draught was clear, and so he knew that no one would notice if he added it to Jonghyun's goblet of wine that evening. That evening, Jinki took extra care in his appearance, meaning to distract Jonghyun from noticing anything. Though he knew this was deceitful, at that moment of time, Jinki couldn't think of anything else which would work as effectively as this. 

Jonghyun noticed that there seemed to be something completely different about Jinki but just couldn't put his finger on it, no matter how hard he tried. Flushing bright scarlet as he felt Jinki's hand brush against his as he leaned over to take a goblet, Jonghyun struggled to maintain his emotions. In any case, he definitely couldn't let anyone else notice how his face changed. Bending down as if to pick up a fork, Jonghyun frantically fanned himself from under the table where none could see him.

At the moment, it really seemed as though Jonghyun was playing right into Jinki's hands. Knowing how Jonghyun would react, Jinki made it a point to keep touching him till the breaking point. As he expected, Jonghyun bent down to get himself back to normal, and Jinki seized his chance. Taking out a small vial of the clear liquid from inside his tunic, Jinki quickly poured the contents into the goblet closest to Jonghyun. Based on the lad joining them at the table, Jinki guessed that the time to tell Taemin the truth had finally come. Turning away to speak to the lad, Jinki pretended as though he had done nothing out of the ordinary. Looking at his husband, who had by now sat back in his seat, Jinki thought of another idea by which he could distract him, long enough for the sleeping draught to mix with the wine. 

Jonghyun shivered with desire as Jinki suddenly ran his stockinged foot along his shin and up to his knee. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why Jinki seemed hot one moment, and cold the other. Jonghyun noticed the lad take advantage of the scene and quickly swipe his goblet of wine. Since Taemin had never been allowed to try the wine before, Jonghyun knew that he would feel intoxicated soon enough, and the headache he would experience the following morning would be punishment enough for him. Watching Taemin struggle to control his yawns, Jonghyun quickly hauled the boy to his feet to take him to his chamber. 

Jinki looked up to both Taemin and Jonghyun yawning. So this meant that Jonghyun would have surely finished his wine. Half expecting Jonghyun to fall asleep on the way to the lad's chamber, Jinki swiftly walked to his chamber and started to change. Off came his embroidered tunic, and on came his disguise. Just two more robberies and then he would be finished with that world of his. Though there wasn't any soot around, Jinki was quite sure that he wouldn't be recognized at all. After all, his kidnappers only saw his 'royal' clothes and thought he was weak. Jinki was prepared to give them a taste of their own medicine. Since Jonghyun would be otherwise occupied, it didn't matter if he'd made a little noise. Dropping his sword with a resounding clang, Jinki quickly looked around to see if anyone had heard the noise. Even after waiting a few minutes, the fact that there was no one who came running filled Jinki with confidence. After wrapping the cloth around his head, and gathering some rope to tie around his waist, Jinki finally felt ready. As he opened the door to his chamber, Jinki felt a sudden shock run through his body when he saw his husband, leaning against the door frame, most certainly wide awake. 

"Are you going somewhere, my prince?"

"N...No..I just"

"You know I can't permit you to go by yourself"

Jinki stopped in his tracks as he heard what Jonghyun had said. Stunned as he watched Jonghyun enter the chamber and take off his tunic, Jinki found his attention taken away by the sight of Jonghyun's heavenly body. Jonghyun, dressed exactly like him, left the room first, and Jinki followed, flabbergasted. 

"What are you doing?"

"I told you, I can't let you go alone. I'm going with you"

Jonghyun had seen the stubborn expression on Jinki's face when he had asked him not to do this, earlier. As far as he knew, Jinki would surely try something to get his own way, especially as this would end up being his moment of revenge. Two heads were better than one, and Jonghyun would be the support for this task. He'd been suspicious at the way Jinki was acting earlier while they dined, and luckily for him, the lad had drunk all the wine, and it was now Taemin who was happily snoring in his bed. After putting the boy to bed, Jonghyun had gone back to the table to check if there was something in the food. By a stroke of luck, he was able to notice that one of the goblets smelled a little funny. He could smell lavender, instead of the usual earthy scent of wine. The expression on Jinki's face when he saw him, had been priceless. When he wanted to, Jonghyun could also creep about like a cat, the only difference was that he was actually silent. Not allowing Jinki to say anything, Jonghyun took him by the hand as they saddled both their horses and set off towards the castle of their enemies. How could he even allow the two men to go away unpunished when they had dared to kidnap Jinki?   
As they rode towards their target, Jinki couldn't help but stare at the expression of utter determination on Jonghyun's face. Jonghyun was looking straight ahead, and Jinki would have given away everything to possessed to find out what Jonghyun was thinking about. With macho toughness oozing out of his every pore, Jonghyun was really irresistible to Jinki at that moment. Once they reached their destination and tied their horses, Jinki unwound the rope around his waist and made a loop before throwing it towards the castle wall. Pulling on the snagged rope to check its strength, Jinki climbed it swiftly and stretched out his hand to Jonghyun who surprised him with his climbing skills. As Jinki started to take away everything that seemed valuable, he saw Jonghyun approaching the royal chamber, his sword unsheathed. Not knowing whether he should follow him or not, Jinki stood transfixed to that one spot, just pondering on what he should do next. Following his heart, Jinki ran after Jonghyun, only to find him pointing his sword at his captor, who was hiding behind a sheet, terror written all over his face. 

"Did you really think I would let you live, after what you did?"

"I beg of you to spare my life"

"By the time I'm finished with you, you'd be begging for the opposite"

"Who..who are you?"

Jinki gasped out loud when Jonghyun tore off his disguise and stood over his intended victim, his sword poised to strike.

"Prince Jonghyun, I swear I didn't mean to kidnap your husband. We just wanted to hold him for ransom. We weren't going to hurt him at all"

"You dared to kidnap the one I love. I demand satisfaction"

Jinki felt a shiver down his spine when he heard Jonghyun say that he wanted satisfaction. Satisfaction meant that they would duel, to the death. Though Jonghyun had never been defeated in combat, Jinki really didn't want to risk losing his husband. Silently slipping into the chamber, Jinki touched Jonghyun's shoulder to pull him away. Shocked as he felt his husband tremble with fury, he grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room, but not before Jonghyun used his sword. The muted scream made Jinki look up, only to see that Jonghyun had slashed the man's tunic. 

"You will come to Prince Jinki's estate tomorrow evening. Bring a substitute"

Jonghyun almost growled with fury as he gazed upon the weasel-like creature who by now was snivelling. If Jinki hadn't stopped him, Jonghyun knew he would have stabbed him or slit his throat for sure. Taking the heavy sack from Jinki, Jonghyun threw it back into the chamber he had just exited, before taking his husband's hand as they walked towards their horses. It was already daybreak by the time they reached the castle, and all inhabitants had been frantically looking for them. Calling for a bath, Jonghyun escorted a tired Jinki to his chamber and stroked his hair until he fell asleep. What he was looking forward to the most, was the duel where he would show everyone what happens if they tangled with him or someone he loved. His black mood seemed to be really obvious as even the servants stayed as far away from him as possible. The steaming water of the bath seemed to soothe him somehow, and after scrubbing his skin as hard as he could, Jonghyun retired to his chamber to get a few hours rest. It was the rule to always have a substitute, just in case something happened. Since he couldn't risk Jinki again, Taemin would have to be the substitute. Just looking at the lad's face as he fought would be more than enough motivation for Jonghyun to win. He wasn't ready to risk anyone else's safety except for his own. Something about Jinki's white face made him wish he hadn't demanded satisfaction, but it was his duty to go through with it. 

Jinki couldn't bear to think of what was going to happen. He had woken up feeling a sense of dread and wished his husband hadn't been so stupid. All Jinki could do now was to hope and pray for the best. Smiling at Taemin's solemn, serious expression, Jinki knew that he would be travelling to his estate along with them. After dining together, Jonghyun asked one of the stable hands to drive the coach to Jinki's estate as they all needed to rest a little more. They reached about the same time as his opponent, who had smartly arrived with his accomplice in the kidnapping. Since this wasn't an official duel, there were absolutely no rules which made Jonghyun doubly sure that his opponents would try anything they could to either kill him or escape with their lives. He watched Jonghyun step into the arena with his sword held high as his first opponent did the same, trembling. Closing his eyes as he heard the two sword clashing, Jinki felt the dread increasing tenfold.

Careful not to let his fury mar his style of fighting, Jonghyun kept a close eye on his opponent who kept jumping and weaving around.

"Just stay still and fight like a man"

"So that you can put your sword through me? I'd rather not"

All this jumping around made Jonghyun feel slightly dizzy, but he still endured it. Trusting his instincts to tell him where this blackguard would move next, Jonghyun quickly disarmed him. Just watching this, the weasel's substitute escaped before anyone else could help it. However, Jonghyun still kept his eyes focused on his target who was on his back by now, begging for mercy. Mercy which Jonghyun really didn't think he deserved. After all, they were fighting to the death. As Jonghyun raised his sword to deliver the final blow, he felt a hand stop him. Looking into Jinki's pleading face, Jonghyun relented a little and lowered his sword.

"Jonghyun, please don't do this. He has been punished enough. Come back home with me and let me love you as you should be loved"

Those words and the expression on Jinki's face touched Jonghyun's heart. Nodding to the cowering man to leave peacefully, Jonghyun brought Jinki's hand to his lips and kissed it, before leading him back to the carriage, followed by Taemin.

"I don't know how I've managed to live without you for so many years. All I know is that I cannot spend even a moment without you, Jinki"  
Jinki felt his heart melt at the words uttered by his husband.

"Jinki, know that you'll always have my heart"

"I know, my husband"

Jinki took Jonghyun's outstretched hand and led him into his chamber. The time finally felt right, and Jinki was really looking forward to what was to happen next. Feeling especially enthusiastic, Jinki pulled Jonghyun towards him and laid a feather-light kiss on his cheek, and watched his whole face light up, as usual. Now, he could finally show Jonghyun how much he loved him. Trying hard to conceal his blush as Jonghyun immediately responded by cupping his face in his hands and kissing him passionately. 

"My Jinki, it's so hard to control myself when I'm around you"

"Who needs control?"

Almost as soon as Jinki had uttered those words, he felt a sudden change in Jonghyun. The man who was acting so calm all this time had given in to passion and resumed kissing him with all of the desire he'd kept suppressed. Feeling suddenly hot, Jinki took a few deep breaths before kissing him back with a frenzy he never thought was possible. To him, it was as though a pipe had burst and all of his feelings had come rushing out. Moaning as Jonghyun cupped his butt and lifted Jinki so that his legs were around his waist, Jinki felt as though he really couldn't stand it anymore. Though both of them knew what was going to happen next, they acted a little shy, sort of like teenagers as they looked into each other's eyes as they slowly began to strip. Jonghyun's muscles seemed to bulge even more than usual as he stretched his hands over his head to pull off his tunic. His eyes never leaving Jonghyun's face, Jinki did the same. Half undressed, they launched themselves at each other once again, with Jinki's heart racing as Jonghyun gripped his hair as they kissed each other with their mouths open. Jinki felt himself hardening, and also felt Jonghyun's rock hard erection pressing into him. Not knowing how to proceed, Jinki ran his hands along Jonghyun's naked torso and waited for his husband to take charge, which he did, in an instant. Lifting Jinki as easily as one would carry a baby, Jonghyun laid him on the large bed before taking off his trousers. Now that both of them were utterly bereft of clothing, Jinki felt a sudden sense of shyness. Jonghyun just stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before he started to kiss Jinki all over, starting from his ankle, and working his way upwards. Jinki, who was getting more aroused by the second, just flopped onto the bed, with a beatific smile on his face. 

His eyes never leaving Jinki's face, Jonghyun moistened two of his fingers with saliva and rubbed it around Jinki's opening. He felt Jinki's muscles clench and his body stiffen as he first inserted one, and then two fingers inside. Jinki whimpered as Jonghyun inserted yet another finger inside him. 

"I don't want it to hurt for you, Jinki"

Though Jinki felt a strange sensation of becoming stretched, the thrill of what would happen next made him unconsciously lift his hips. The tender expression on Jonghyun's face was his undoing, as he felt that their foreplay had gone far enough. Jinki closed his eyes as Jonghyun grabbed his bottom and spread his legs even wider. Jinki could feel Jonghyun's hard member at his entrance and felt a sharp pain as Jonghyun inserted all of it inside him. Pausing as he stayed buried inside Jinki, Jonghyun bent down and kissed Jinki deeply, letting their tongues touch. His body got used to the pain, and soon Jinki found himself lifting his hips to match Jonghyun, thrust for thrust.

"Give me your hands"

As Jonghyun locked their fingers together, Jinki felt a sudden thrill shoot up his body. Somehow, Jonghyun's touch felt electrifying to him, and as they increased their rhythm, Jinki felt close to release. Almost instantly, he felt Jonghyun's member throb and soon fill him with warmth. Feeling his own body starting to clench a little, Jinki's member started to twitch a then produce a stream of the thick warm liquid that fell onto his stomach.

After wiping himself and Jinki with a flannel, Jonghyun called for a bath to be brought up to the chamber and covered his weary husband with the sheets as they waited. As they heard a knock, Jinki suddenly feeling shy, hid under the sheets as Jonghyun answered it. Once the servants had dragged the heavy tub in, Jonghyun lifted Jinki in his strong arms and gently lowered him inside the huge tub, before entering it himself. The hot water soothed their tired muscles and Jonghyun gathered the fragrant smelling rose soap and started to lather it along Jinki's chest. He could feel Jinki's muscles grow tensed under his strong hands and started to gently massage him. Based on the expressions on Jinki's face, he was highly enjoying the feeling of Jonghyun's hands on his skin. Repositioning Jinki so that he now lay on top of him, Jonghyun nuzzled his nose at the back of Jinki's neck lovingly. 

Though Jinki loved Jonghyun's proximity, the water was rapidly getting colder and his desire to have some fun kept increasing by the minute. Wiggling away from his husband, Jinki turned to face him and splashed the cold water onto his face. The initial surprise leaving him, Jonghyun laughed as he pretended to duck Jinki under the water. Though he would never admit it, it was moments like these that showed him how much he truly loved Jinki. The relationship that had started with them fighting with each other, had now brought them so close together that their hearts were overflowing.

"Let's go to bed, my husband"

After wrapping themselves in towels and dressing, the two men launched themselves into bed, with their arms around each other. Never had Jinki ever felt so uninhibited to show his feelings. They had a lot to do on the morrow, starting with telling the lad the truth of his birth and arranging for Jonghyun's official coronation. However, for now, Jinki was more than happy just looking at Jonghyun's sleeping face. Trailing his fingers in his husband's blonde hair, Jinki smiled before leaning forward and kissing Jonghyun's forehead.

"I love you, my husband"


End file.
